Masque Town
by Soliloquy Addams
Summary: A Team Rocket series! Jessie, James, and a whole city of performing arts people as weird as them. Need I say more? How about them getting jobs as Rocket *impersonators*? ^_~
1. "We are Team Rocket! Give us tip money....

_Spooky Kid_

by Soliloquy Addams

"Our" familiar heroes are stumbling into Masque City, believing themselves to be on the trail of Ash and his gang.

James looks around, panting.  "Are we really in a city?  We've been in the wilderness so long, I forgot what one looks like."

Meowth, looking as if he'd be more comfortable draped over someone's shoulders instead of walking, announces loudly: "First thing I'm gonna do is get me a decent meal and soft pillows instead of lumpy ground."

"In a luxury hotel!" James agrees.  "Then maybe I'll raid antique stores to add to my bottle cap collection"

Jessie, with hair ragged and body stooped from traveling, is too weary to be frustrated over her teammates' spending cash they don't have.  "I definitely deserve some major pampering after all that camping."

Meanwhile an imaginary rain of bottle caps is showering James' head like coins.  Unexpectedly, a lump appears.  While daydreaming he'd just bumped into a man whose arms were pinwheeling.  The bald guy blinked, found himself grabbing a steaming Jessie for support, and sprang upright with an apologetic laugh, one hand scratching the back of his head.

Somewhere on the street, a woman shrieked.  "Police!  This man has been attacked by Team Rocket!"

The trio looked at each other with identical grimaces.  "We ain't been in dis town t'ree minutes and already we needta finda place ta hide?!" Meowth cried.

Before they could scram, the man called back, "Do you really think this is a real attack?  These two can't possibly be the real Team Rocket."  The shouter quieted down as he talked.  "It's obvious.  They haven't done the same old poem--"  Sweatdrops appeared.  "--They don't have any disguises OR outrageous costumes in broad daylight"-  Eyebrows and veins twitched in foreheads.  "--And no self-respecting member of Team Rocket would be caught dead in uniforms as ratty as those-"  Fangs appeared in clenched teeth and fists trembled.  The man turned from the crown gathering to the irritated team.  "So these are impersonators, obviously.  Yikes," he joked, "I sure hope you don't steal my takeout."

_What?_  Jessie thought quickly.  "Yes, we are the vicious and victorious Team Rocket."  Confidence was back in full force.  "Hand over your package immediately."

James, starting to catch on, no longer looked as if he wanted to flee.  "Yeah, we promise we'll go easy on you," he sneered.

The man extended the package, which Meowth snatched.  "What a good sport for our street demonstration," Meowth told him.

He did a double take.  "Did he just talk for real?"

"Tape recorder," "Ventriloquism," James and Jessie replied simultaneously.  

The man scrutinized one and the other then shrugged; but he looked disappointed.  "You could have done the whole motto, or at least threatened me more," he grumbled.

James smirked.  "Jessie?"

  


Jessie began by saying her first line.  They recited it together as deliberately cheap imitations of themselves, intentionally holding back their capabilities.  Their self-parody satisfied a few spectators who tossed coins Meowth picked up.  When the rest wandered away, Jessie's temper flared and she stamped the sidewalk.  "Hey, you creeps just watched our show, and you don't get entertainment for free!  Pay up!"  Then most of the other fearful bystanders gave a considerable amount of money before they cleared.

Team Rocket exchanged glances.  "That was disturbing," James said soberly.

Not much later, at patio tables at an outdoor café, they split the dinner for two in 2 & 1/2 ways; not the most filling but at least everyone had something.  It would hold for the meantime.  James was counting their haul.  "OooOOOoh.  Who would have guessed people would hand us money just for being ourselves?"

"Maybe we've finally arrived." Jessie agreed.  "Probably our easiest heist that ever worked."

"Actually, I think it's our only --" and James ducked a clobbering.

"Yeah, but it musta been your worst motto of all time.  Even cheesier than when ya said it at Stone Town's ritz party while stuffing ya faces."  And Meowth could not dodge his double clobbering fast enough.

"Our beauty and flair would have overwhelmed them if unbridled," Jessie boasted.  "Still, we will have to think of the next scam soon."

"After we finish eating, right?"

When every morsel was finished they hit the streets again for ideas.

"How about surveying the pokecenter and getting the feel of this town?"  It sounded as good as idea as any.

While walking, they passed a flier posted.  All three froze, then walked backwards in unison like a rewind button hit them.  "Hmmm, I think our next gig is already lined up."

            ^^^^^^                        ^^^^^^                        ^^^^^^                        

Walking to the appropriate plaza, the team alternately giggled over their chances or shushed each other.  

"A distraction arranged in advance so we all can be on pickpocket duty!"  

"We'll make three times as much at once!"

On stage, two magicians, a man and a woman, had everyone enraptured.  They pulled parents from the audience, tied them down, wrapped colored scarves around their heads, and -voila-- fixed up their hair according to their punker kids' cool tastes - purple mohawk and green spikes.  The audience roared as the parents struggled and fumed.  After releasing them (changed back) the magicians stepped into boxes at opposite ends of the stage and changed places in less than two seconds.  The next two volunteers were none other than Brock and Misty.

Brock, as always, did his goofy face and voice routine for the female magician.  He eagerly said he wouldn't need to be hypnotized to do anything she said, and got led enthusiastically.  Misty tried to tug his ear as usual but while objecting got taken by the arm by the male magician.  They were placed in the 'mysterious boxes.' When they emerged, each remained in the same spot, but had exchanged clothes.

Brock squirmed in his tiny tee and cutoffs.  "Nice legs!" shouted someone recognizable.  

Bright red, Brock was paralyzed to do anything but squeeze his eyes shut and hug himself, shuddering.  "All the beautiful girls who saw this," he moaned.  

Misty wasn't too happy either after hearing the same familiar voice yell, "Now she's more of a tomboy than ever!"  

"Toki toki, pbbrrrrii!" 

Misty loomed over the stadium.  "Whoever makes the next wisecrack is getting pounded in a pokemon challenge!"  A puff of air showed Pikachu's exasperated sigh.

  


The magicians changed back Brock and Misty with a momentary swirl of cloaks.  The man announced his finale of making a pokemon appear.  To make sure there was no trap door, he asked the crowd where to place the plain, narrow screen.  He set it down where they directed, and subsequently a Hitmonchan emerged.  After the applause, the male magician walked behind it too; a pause later the woman moved the screen showing a vacant space where he had vanished.  During the cheers she asked "everyone who likes them" to "show their Hitmonchan just how much," but provided one encore.  She instructed one last volunteer to remove the screen after she uses it to disappear.  She did, and the volunteer was left alone on the empty stage holding the thin screen as the pokemon began to walk through the crowds taking donations.  

"They're good," he mumbled to the audience.  "No flash powder."  He even kicked the floor to search for a loose panel or hollow cavity for escaping, and found nothing peculiar about the stage boards.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket rendezvoused to compare hauls.  Unexpectedly, there wasn't much.  

"I got wrapped up in the show," James said lamely.  

"And I was busy laughing at the twerp squad," Jessie whined.  

"Looks like da diversion was just too good."

"Cheer up," Jessie responded to James, who was looking downcast.  "It was worth it to witness a humiliation like no other."

He pulled together and brightened.  "Brock does _not_ make a good junior high girl."

"Not like we do anyway."

One smiled meaningfully, the other blushed.

"Hey guys, wake up here, we gotta prize all lined up."  Meowth inspected one and the other.  "Your instincts must be getting less sharp to not pay attention to THIS."  He grabbed them both and pointed through the crowd and wondered why he hadn't simply used Scratch to get their interest.

Jessie announced, "Not only a rare pokemon but a pile of dough as well."  James declared, "It's almost too good to be true."  They quickly decided which of their disguises and characters to use for the occasion.

^^^^^^                        ^^^^^^                        ^^^^^^                        

Minutes later, the pokemon finished making the rounds.  Those who did not want to give tips nonetheless paid just to get close enough to see if it was a real Hitmonchan and maybe get some clues.  Yet the mystified people had to go home with no hints about the tricks.

Two very energetic, blonde, middle school girls followed the pokemon to the backstage dressing room and peeked in from opposite sides of the doorway.  The female magician had completely finished replacing the props and was sitting on folded legs.  The Hitmonchan melted to a flame of mist, causing gasps from the eavesdroppers outside.  The creature somewhat resembling a Gastly floated onto her lap.  

One of the schoolgirls brashly entered and introduced herself.  "We're junior high students and now we're big fans since seeing your show.  You're amazingly cool."  

"CoOol!" the other chimed, and got elbowed in the ribs.  

Forgetting about their mission for the moment, the first one blurted, "You know, you looked a lot older up on stage.  Are you really just a silly child?"

" 'Silly child'?"  The young magician was not bothered.  "We are all equals here, are we not."

"Right," Jessie mumbled.  How could she forget they're supposedly all children?  "So like, who's your assistant?" she rushed on.

The magician petted the mist.  "You got to see what no one else has yet," she murmured.  "I am called Kid.  This creature is Spooky."  A whisper echoed loudly.  "It uses illusion power for all the effects in the show, including my partner and the Hitmonchan."  Her listeners were interested to learn neither of her helpers was real.  "And since Spooky cannot speak aloud, my part is all the voices.  Since you're admirers I hope you're trustworthy with my secret."  The smoke whispered again.  "Hmm?  Yes.  Spooky would assume a form and bow if it weren't too worn out from the act."

"In that case¼"  Simultaneously knowing the right time, the two synchronized whipping off their schoolclothes to reveal the well-recognized symbols of Team Rocket.  "Your pokemon's weak so prepare for trouble."  "And you're all alone so make it double."  They completed the whole thing and Meowth jumped into the backstage from a different entrance. 

"Glorious!  I am very fortunate to see a performance such as this.  Yes, I choose to 'surrender now'."

Team Rocket was shocked.  This had never happened before.  Meowth asked if she had a screw loose.

"As you can see, my pokemon is unable to battle.  Rather than risking harm, we voluntarily and happily surrender.  However, there is one condition**:** you must take me as well.  Because of our unique link we are inseparable."

Meowth glimpsed a temporary vision.  A 10-year old boy with oversized brown hair stands in a jungle.  "I'm your Digimon partner for life, Tai!" declares an ecstatic, bouncing pink head.  "I think she might be telling da truth, guys."

The other two listened.  "And bringing a person would help us how exactly?"

"You two don't exactly get gold stars in the pokemon obedience department," he reminded them.  "With a monster that actually _follows_ orders, we could do a lotta damage!"

Team Rocket reluctantly became unanimous.  "You'll be obedient and all that," Jessie demanded, nose-to-nose for maximum intimidation.  "We'll call your bluff, since you asked for it, but you may live to regret it."

Kid nodded somberly.  "The pact is accepted."

            ^^^^^^                        ^^^^^^                        ^^^^^^            

Two pokemon and three humans exited the theater.  The humans are arm-in-arm, with the brunette decidedly in the center, appearing under no duress at all.  Incredibly, the brunette tried small talk.

"So besides getting me and my familiar, what brings you to Masque?"

James did his best impression of a certain voice actor.  "The same thing we do everyday, Kid.  Try to steal all the pokemon of the world."  He tittered at his own comic genious.

"James, how COULD you."  Jessie immediately thwacked his shoulder.

"But Jessie, she already knows we're criminals.  We stole _her_, remember?  And you know what else?  She's _our_ prisoner.  What's she going to do, warn the police without escaping first?"

 "I'd hate to prove you wrong, Jess, but Jimmy boy has a point," Meowth added.

"I want to be a pokemon, pokemon (thief) master!"  The cheerful boy loudly sang along with a certain ending theme, adding one extra word.  "Pokemon thief master!"

Jessie seethed.  "James, you're going to--"

"There they are.  I knew we'd find them."

Our party turned to see the local Officer Jenny being led by the hand by Ash and so on. 

Is it really possible the twerp got the jump on us and spied on _us_ first, Team Rocket wondered.  Next they wondered how Ash or anyone could recognize them in the first place.

Jessie and James quickly looked down at themselves, then at each other, then back again.  After this, they crashed to the ground.  They were still in uniform after disrobing for the motto.  "This can't be happening," they exclaimed.  

Meowth demanded, "How could ya forget?"

Jessie snapped, "You were looking straight at us too.  Why didn't YOU remind us?"

"We never had to get dressed again to make our getaway," James volunteered.  "We always tried to escape and got blasted off."  In a completely different tone he carried on, "Then again maybe it was the lack of nutrition when we didn't eat for four days."

"It's your fault for mentioning the cops," Jessie bawled.

"Well?  State your identity."  Everything, especially the 'blasting off' bit, should have been a tipoff, but by rules characters can't overhear particular conversations meant for the audience only.  Still, Officer Jenny had no more patience to ignore their chatter.  "If you're not the well-known pokemon thieves, let's see some proof."

"They sure are Team Rocket," interrupts Kid.

Deathly silence.

A doom bell peals.

The background changes to scorch marks over a blasted landscape.

Fire burns in the eyes of all the Rockets and every powerful weapon at their disposal are closing in.  All Hell's fury almost descends on her.

Next without warning the background changes yet again to darkness with a single spotlight, and fast-tempo digital music plays.  Kid becomes an announcer as if for a fashion show with microphone in hand.  First, the spotlight centers on James.

"Here we have the _incredible, delectable 'James'_."  An imaginary audience applaudes, much to James' and everyone's confusion.  "With a splendidly toned body and abs, under painfully accurate clothing, he portrays the very likeness of the _infamous gangster.  _As you can see, everything from the gloves to jacket with innovative slit at the bottom of the 'R' to his signature rose- "  One spontaneously pops into existence in his hand.  "-Were replicated faithfully.  Even the hair, eyes, and facial features, which fans swoon over, are indistinguishable."  Here James flashes one of the many original poses (body straight, one fist on hip, head turned, sniffing the rose in the other hand) not sure why he does so.

Now the spotlight seeks out Jessie.  "One would have to search high and low for a model as breath-taking and mouth-watering as this one.  As with her partner, everything is measured and custom made precisely, from the 4" heels to the 8" of skin between thigh-high boots and skirt, to the suggestive and fascinating slit to the center of the 'R' of her jacket.  With superb makeup and the finely-crafted elegant hair sweep, she has spent great care in achieving the prime mode of beauty as the _notorious lawbreaker_ -the _outstanding 'Jessie'_."  Another imaginary audience applaudes as she flaunts her own special pose.

The spotlight changes again.  Meowth bathes in the light as he puffes out his chest and proudly displayes his paws and claws; his charm sparkles.  "Let's wrap this up.  And this is a replica of the _pickpocket pokemon, Meowth_."  The spotlight clicks off, leaving Meowth to blink his large, surprised white eyes in darkness.  Instead of applause, crickets can be heard chirping.

The scene returns to the normal street with everyone standing around Officer Jenny, waiting to hear what she has to say.  Both teams have sweat drops waiting to grow on their heads.  No one breathes.  After an endless moment she makes her statement:

"I'm really impressed.  You all fooled even me for a minute."  She salutes.  "Keep up the good work, and bring lots of smiles to Masque's citizens."

Ash and his gang were taken aback.  "But but but but they really ARE Team Rocket," Ash pleaded.

"Yeah, right, and Elvis rode a Kangaskan through Main Street last week."  Officer Jenny was annoyed.  "Little boy, I have better things to do with my time than investigate prank reports.  And you."  She turned to the others.  "You two, being a few years older, should have more sense than this."

Brock flushed again.  "I apologize for these two children, ma'am, but they just needed some reassurance.  If there's any way I could make it up to you, don't hesitate to ask."  He proceeded to bombard and deluge her with papers containing phone, cell phone, beeper, e-mail, alternate chat room names, and web page address**:**  Wwww.desperate_boy.comm.  For a change, the police officer pushed Brock's face away before Misty could pull his ear. 

Fed up completely, Officer Jenny ordered Team Twerp not to make any more nuisances of themselves for the remainder of their stay, in her opinion a lenient warning for these three hooligans.  Misty and Brock refused to listen and kept arguing about it with her.  (Ash couldn't, he was repeating "but" and twitching.)  "Don't you realize what a fool you're making of yourself?!" Misty screamed at the cop.  In response Officer Jenny locked Brock and Misty together with her handcuffs, put a hand on each of the boys' backs, and pushed the trio away.  

"I'm taking you down to the station to fill out a 100-ft. restraining order.  You won't be bothering these excellent people again."  The others watched them shrink in the distance, still struggling.

"Hope youse enjoy da police station," Meowth called.

"Looks like Team Twerp is," Jessie added.

"Escorted off!" James finished.

"Ooh, it feels so _good_ to say that," Jessie squealed.

Meowth was gleeful too.  "Dis is da second time today we was let off da hook."

James scratched his head.  "Yeah, why were we?  It's like we're under a¼ have a¼ Jessie, what's the opposite of a curse?"

Jessie grimaced.  "Don't you dare suggest we've been blessed."

James contemplated thoughtfully.  "Maybe it was when that one lady we robbed told us she'd pray for us, and didn't shout or shake her fists at us or anything."

The resulting blow with the paper fan was light because James was not thrown forward and his head got hardly any whiplash at all.  "I said I don't want to hear about _baka_ prayer."

"OK, OK."  James surrendered.  He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, and tactfully strolled away a few feet.

"I might lay to rest the mystery," Kid suggested coyly.  "You probably haven't seen the campus yet, but Masque City is home to a renowned Performing Arts school.  Students come from all over, and most citizens have moved to town so they can raise future children to be the stars they themselves never were.  Furthermore, there's less bickering than you may expect, and everyone enthusiastically supports everybody else's projects so they'll hopefully get the same in return."  She smiled.  "It's almost a thespian utopia."  The scene pans out to show citizens, trees, performers, buildings, and all the city's grandeur.  

The three eldritch ones made appreciative sounds of awe.  "Awww."

            "So, have you three given any thought to where you're taking me?" the girl asked nonchalantly.

            The gang members exchanged a glance.  "At times like these don't you wish we gave more thoughts to our plans?" James asked.

            Kid stifled a chuckle.  "If it is not inappropriate…"

            Jessie pushed her.  "On with it."

            "I have an account at the Serendipity Hotel.  Since it is paid in advance, you may make the most of it."

            Jessie squealed, then insisted on maintaining composure.  "That will do.  Take us there."

            ^^^^^^                        ^^^^^^                        ^^^^^^                        

            Minutes later, after a walk and an elevator ride, they unlocked the door to an apartment a fifth from the top of the towering resort.  Team Rocket discovered not a room but a suite -- with multiple rooms including a lounge, plenty of beds for all, and inconceivably luxurious surroundings.  It probably cost more than they got all year.  Opulence certainly was the opposite of the condition they were used to.

"WheeeEEE!-ooof."  James flung himself through the air with abandon at one of the giant, inviting beds in the next chamber.  The ample springs bounded him high in the air before flopping him down again.  For the moment, he simply lied on his belly, face buried in the padding.  "Ah-hhhh," his moan deepened as the soft, thick blanket absorbed his body.  The others looked on enviously.

Meowth was the next to appropriate his particular niche.  Soon he got busy arranging sofa pillows into a neat nest that would catch the maximum relaxing current from one of the air conditioner vents.

Jessie explored the suite and found the bathroom contained a tub, not a shower.  "Anybody need to get in here?  Good.  I called it."  And she slammed the door.  The next sounds were zippers being undone, hard boots hitting the floor, and plenty of running water.

            Kid approached the phone.

            "Noooo!"  James scrambled off the bed, sprinted and took a flying tackle.  His surprised target dodged and crouched in time, and the boy sprawled on the floor.  Meowth burst out laughing.

            The girl stooped beside him.  "What was your intent?"

            Woozy planets orbited his noggin.  "I don't know my intent, but you were going for the phone.  You, um, could have been telling someone where you are."

            The caustic feline scoffed.  "Do you _ever_ know what you're talking about?"

            Kid made a face and extended a palm.  "We already met the authorities today.  If I were going to expose you, it would have been then.  What would I have to gain by doing so now?"

            The teen grasped her hand and pulled himself upright.  "I do so know what I'm talking about, Meowth.  If it wasn't calling for help what were you doing?"

            "Calling for help procuring dinner.  Room service here is quite nice; what do you fancy?"

            He answered promptly, "Half a dozen Mexican pizzas, three ice cream bars, four grilled cheese sandwiches and … a hot dog."

            Kid looked down at his abs, up at his face, back to his waist, and into his eyes.  Mystified, she finally said, "As you wish.  And you?"

            The cat ordered two meals of chicken, fried and grilled.

            James thoughtfully dashed to the bathroom, pressed his face against the frame, and yelled for Jessie's opinion.  The portal cracked open from her side and a torrent of foam volleyed out through the slit, coating the Rocket with a veneer of fluff.  "I think I can hear you well enough without shouting in the middle of my bubble bath.  Order me one of everything exotic and expensive."  With that she clicked the door shut again.

            "What she said," James emphasized.

            "Very well.  Shrimp, steak, and lobster it is."  She placed the order for all, increasing it by two species of fresh fish and rice, and surveyed her abductors.  By now the feline had found as much peace and relaxation as the soaking Rocket, and the other thief had found the television.  The captive opened her thoughts to her partner Spooky's mind in a private union of telepathy.  _Everything we anticipated has come to pass._

            ^^^^^^                        ^^^^^^                        ^^^^^^                        

Author's notes:  Um, o-okay.  I don't like putting up uncompleted series, but I wrote this series a year ago (and off and on since).  It deserves to be my first story, so here's chapter one.  This also gives the freedom to move on to post other, shorter, whole works.

If you like it, tell me which lines are the best, and if you didn't, say what's wrong with it.  


	2. "Who do you think would win in a fight b...

At 6:39 pm, Standard Time, 13th October '01, explosions boomed through the 14th floor of the Serendipity Hotel, Masque City, PokeWorld.  
  
They were followed soon after by screams.  
  
"Who's been in my lab?!" demanded lil' Washu. Onscreen, Ryo-oki dashed out of the wreckage as fast as she could.  
  
"Would you CHILDREN turn that down?!" Jessie shouted from the other room.  
  
James darted for the remote. "Sorry, Jess-chan!" He lowered the volume and returned to his former position on the bed, face-down with chin resting on his forearms. "So, who would win in a fight, Washu or Ryoko?"  
  
Kid hadn't budged form her spot on the floor, reclining against the bed, legs outstretched and crossed at the heels, folded arms cushioning her head. She pondered. "Who do you favor?"  
  
"Washu, definitely. I would love to get my hands on some of her technology." James gleefully pictured typing in impish commands for all kinds of inventions doing his bidding, not aware he was miming away right there in the room.  
  
Kid mercifully ignored this and simply scooted over when his "keypad" got in the way of her hair. "Washu might have powers, but I don't believe she can type faster than the speed of Ryoko's blasts. She'd be cinders before executing one directive ."  
  
"Cinders, huh?" He put a forefinger in his mouth in concentration. "No, Washu would have a forcefield up before Ryoko could come near. Washu's supercomputer could turn Ryoko into a hatchling Psyduck." Then his brow furrowed in deep concentration. "Or did that already happen? I can't remember."  
  
"Perhaps."  
  
They watched in silence when a second episode came on. After a while, water could be heard draining, signaling the arrival that followed. At the sound of the opening door, Kid and James turned to see a lavender linen amass emerge from the bathroom. Steam poured from the bathroom opening, giving an impression of the wonders the hot soak including a warm damp washcloth over the face could do for skin, deep tissue, and attitude. The linen shifted to show Jessie swathed in a fuzzy hotel bathrobe; she dried damp hair with one end of the humongous towel and the rest of it piled up on the floor. "Yikes, I love this place," she murmured. "These are the softest pajamas I've ever been in, this towel could cover a twin bed, and they thought of everything. We need to open a chain of these hotels."  
  
"Then again, if we had the money to open a chain, we wouldn't be staying here as someone else's guest," James reminded her.  
  
"Which reminds me, I coughed earlier and obviously no one will want this bathrobe back since it has my germs on it." She adjusted the sash tied around her waist pointedly.  
  
"Absolutely. For their own good, you must keep it," said Kid solemnly.  
  
Thoroughly content, Jessie crawled into one of the other mattresses and lied on her side, head propped up, and hair spilling onto the bedspread and over the side. Her legs, bare from the knees, squirmed until she found the best angle.  
  
Onscreen, the scene changed to a clip of two beautiful females pushing each other out of the way to get to some boy. Sparks snapped between their incensed profiles.  
  
Jessie sighed. "Why would this boring, ordinary boy deserve two self- respecting females fighting over him?" Then the actual show came back on, a shot of several people preparing and sitting down for a meal. "Exactly why in the world are there SIX of them living with him?" If this kept up, Jessie's cheerfulness would sour.  
  
"Back up a minute," James suggested.  
  
"No, really. A plain, dull boy gets not one but half a dozen models. Talk about your basic baka man self-centered fantasy." She readjusted herself moodily.  
  
Meowth coughed from his spot, sounding suspiciously like "grump" and "griping."  
  
Kid relocated to Jessie's area and tried to explain. "To begin, he's not like the one I had on stage, Brock. Tenchi does not drool over these women. And they're not mindless lapdogs." Jessie relaxed a bit. "Plus, the boy is truly so kind and honorable, without being a, ah, twerp, he really does deserve a lot of respect." Jessie wavered between doubt and acceptance. "Trust me, a household of space pirates, mad scientists, and lunatics--" Onscreen, the boy told a whining, tanned blonde not to be so upset over yet another mistake, and rolled his eyes when she burst into tears. "--Is not that male's fantasy."  
  
Jessie sighed; she no longer thought the show was about a stereotype. "I suppose you might be right."  
  
Meowth snickered. "Too sedate to debate."  
  
"James," Jessie coerced serenely, "I just finished arranging my body in the optimal position for ultimate comfort. Would you kindly get up and whack Meowth for me?"  
  
James used none of her eloquence. "But Jessie, I'm too comfy too." He squirmed.  
  
She stretched across the double-wide bed and lazily hurled a king-sized pillow in the cat's direction. Accurate aim was unnecessary, for the thing was both larger and heavier than the cat's body and he couldn't do a thing to stop it. Thirty pounds of feathers is still thirty punds, and Meowth felt like he'd been hit by a downy mallet.  
  
James rolled over to a mirror pose of Jessie. Everything was quiet for a while, watching the alien females. "Suppose we steal Washu's inventions?" James was right on top of the next plan. "With any one of these, we could rule the world."  
  
"Anything you say. But first, we require a human interplanetary teleporter," stated Kid. "If we could invent that, we wouldn't need to steal hers."  
  
"Do I need to point out you two are having a tactical discussion about a cartoon?" mused Jessie. Her eyebrows arched mildly. "It isn't real, you know."  
  
James, like a child, grew downhearted and a little watery-eyed. "Yeah... we know," he admitted.  
  
"If it isn't real, why would you get so upset about six women living with Tenchi," Meowth muttered, then ducked in fear from another terrifying scowl. Just for that, she would pick a moment when he was on the brink of sleep, with not a whiff of his guard up, and then slam him hard with another round of thudding ammunition, at closest range possible, standing directly over him. Jessie chuckled in a tone that made Meowth's skin crawl.  
  
Kid perked back up. "What about a fight between Ryoko and Jessie?"  
  
James mulled it over. The entire battle took place in his mind, frame by frame, full of select camera angles and special moves, as he mentally drew the entire thing. "Hmm. Ryoko."  
  
"What is this?" Jessie challenged.  
  
"But... teleporting... floating... laser blasts... teleporting."  
  
"Oh really?" Just to show she could, Jessie made her eyes sizzle and crack with electricity. The sparks sizzled half the distance to the other Rocket.  
  
Meowth startled upright with a gasp, despite being safely distant. A low whistle escaped Kid. Surprisingly, James felt no fear. Fascinated and astonished maybe, but not afraid. "Wow, Jessie! You're so cool you could almost be animated!" He reached out a hand to feel the thin current and as it zipped through his body he took a deep breath. A dazed smile of pure bliss spread over him.((Quote from episode with the Eevee brothers in Stone Town: "Jessie's evolving into a Flareon!"))  
  
The electricity shut off with a pop. Jessie was suddenly torn between cracking up laughing or cracking up shouting. James was enough to make her do both sometimes. As it turned out, there was so much wrong with his statement, she didn't know where to begin. (Cool enough to be animated?!) One thought came closest to mind. "James, dear," she began in her absolutely sweetest voice possible, in which only an ignoramus wouldn't know he was either about to be coddled and babied or about to be dead very soon. "Why would you do a thing like that? Don't you already have your fill of electricity from all the zaps we get on our missions?"  
  
James, perched on the edge of the bed, was gesturing with his hands excitedly. "You were great! It was nothing painful like getting zapped by enemies; it felt incredible. Your--" he gasped, "-energy--"  
  
Why was it that Jessie was the one stunned? For once, she really didn't know what to say. What do you say to a partner who's lost his mind?  
  
He frenzied on, completely oblivious and thrilled. "Besides, I thought you could have evolved into a Jolteon." Tears sneaked out of the corner of his wobbly eyes; he was so proud of her.  
  
Conveniently, the doorbell chimed, announcing the arrival of a bellhop and their meals. The employee served them at the suite's dining room table from the covered plates on his cart, then stayed to grind pepper and make sure they had enough of everything under the sun from melted butter to picante sauce. The service was beyond reproach but annoying. Jessie ordered a round of hot chocolate in hopes that he would go away and take a long time to come back.  
  
The males dug in like wild animals, shoveling in food like it they wouldn't have a microsecond to spare. Kid handled her cuisine and chopsticks with poise and ettiquette. Jessie took one bite of her lobster and squealed in pleasure, followed by soft moans. She felt so good, she floated to the air, three feet above her chair, still frozen in she same seated posture.  
  
James kept an eye on his quixotic partner and wondered if he should grasp her by the ankle and pull her back in line with the law of gravity. But in a moment she floated gently to her seat on her own. The others resumed eating.  
  
"Earlier, you were speaking about why you are in this city," Kid began.  
  
"And?"  
  
"If I am to obey your orders, I should know what they are," she deferred.  
  
Jessie relayed the mission background. "Remember those three kids who had the cop with them?"  
  
"Of course. Two of those were on stage," she reminded him.  
  
"We've been trying to capture their pokemon for years. Don't get me wrong, we take on other jobs, but we take a crack at them whenever we can." James and Meowth nodded. "And we win plenty of times -- we have captured Pikachu a lot -- but they always make a comeback." Her teammates silently agreed once more.  
  
Kid took it in. "Besides a grudge and pride in your record, what is it about them?"  
  
They related how they first decided Pikachu was a priority at an early run-in. "It used moves that were beyond its level, and the attacks it pulls off are stronger than they should be."  
  
"That kid has the luckiest lucky streak ever," James decreed.  
  
"He and Pikachu always overcome your calculations?" Kid guessed. "I have encountered a similar phenomenon with Gym Leaders that were said to be undefeatable. They had one thing in their favor -- a dire level of critical hits. In other words, nearly every strike was critical, much more than a pokemon's fair share. Take away that effect, and their strengths are nothing."  
  
The Rockets easily got distracted from the analysis. "Remember our very first assault against Ash Ketchum? He blew up an entire Pokemon Center with pika-power in order to defend it from us," James reminisced, quite pleased with how they'd managed to turn a so-called good kid into a hooligan.  
  
"That goes to show how dangerous we are." Jessie flashed a toothy, pearly grin.  
  
"And we are so cool, even the twerps wanted to be us. Do you remember?" Jessie looked puzzled, so he continued. "At the House of Imite. ((Episode: Ditto's Mysterious Mansion)) All three twerps, plus Duplica, copied our entrance and loved it."  
  
That struck a chord, and she recollected the occasion. "We were so mad when they mimicked us and got come words of of ours wrong."  
  
From its place near the table, beside Kid, Spooky drew an image in the air directly in front of itself. It showed the four imitation Rockets, getting some of the details wrong on Duplica, but gave the overall effect. Since Jessie and James were so into themselves, Meowth was the only one who saw it, and erupted in laughter.  
  
"Yes, but it's funny now,"James said smoothly in reply to Jessie, unaware of his coincidental timing with what the others were up to. "They stood around talking about how exciting and cool it is to be us."  
  
"It sure is." She sat smugly, thinking about how much she and her team rule.  
  
"Dat's right," Meowth cut in. "We're da bomb, and it's only a matter of time before da rest of da woild knows it."  
  
"If you approve, assistance and strategy of mine may counteract their exigent bonus should you face them in battle once more," vocalized Kid.  
  
Jessie largely ignored her. "You hear that, James? On our next fight, we will be victorious." She rose from her seat on her right foot; stretched her right arm skywards with fingers splayed; left leg bent close ot her body; left arm curled low alongside her waist, with balled fist; sparkling eyes closed in blithe arcs; and mouth provocatively curved.  
  
James regarded her with an intense look, and matched her.  
  
"To trap our prey no matter the cost."  
  
"To get them all and impress the Boss."  
  
"To achieve each prize we set our eyes on."  
  
"To travel away over new horizons."  
  
"Jessie!" she cried.  
  
"James!" he blared.  
  
"Everything I want in the world will be mine."  
  
"Team Rocket will conquer one day at a time."  
  
Meowth held up a square paper for olympic-style rating, and gave them a 5.5.  
  
Besides setting up a pokemon guard, they turned in soon afterwards. Thus ended one day in the lives of Team Rocket.  
  
Soliloquy: I know this is short and nothing much happens, but that's because I was stuck for a bit here until things got juicier, not to mention even weirder, later on. Coming next, within one week I promise, Chapter Three, "So if we... went... to a public bath... which room would you go into?" 


End file.
